Mentality
by Shell-Shocked-NinjaTurtleGal
Summary: (Occurs after the ep. where the new inquisitors are introduced). One would expect Ezra to be shaken after narrowly escaping the new Inquisitors. Yet he's been acting casual about the whole thing: too casually. Kanan and Ahsoka confront our favorite blue-eyed Padawan, sensing that he hasn't told them the whole story. Challenge fic prompt at end of story for those interested!
**Hey everyone!**

 **So this is a oneshot I've been wanting to do for awhile, and I only just now got it typed out! This happens two weeks after the episode where the two new inquisitors are introduced! Looking back on the episode, I was musing over how Ezra was able to resist the Seventh Sister's attempts at mental torture, and it got me wondering about how Kanan and Ahsoka would react to learning not only that Ezra was mentally tortured, but managed to resist the interrogation attempts of a skilled Inquisitor! And thus, this oneshot came to be! Ta-da!**

 **Before you begin reading, I just wanted to let all of you know that at the bottom of this oneshot is a challengefic idea! It's not a contest or anything, just a fic idea for anyone who feels like challenging themselves XD Please go read it and, if you have questions, PM me!**

 **Disclaimer's on my prof.!**

 **Enjoy and please review!**

* * *

Things had been oddly tense since Ezra, Sabine and Zeb's narrow escape from the two new Inquisitors. The newly organized rebellion cell as a whole knew what a danger Inquisitors were to their cause, and to now learn that there were two after them?

Not to say that things were totally different. As the days passed, then two weeks, things began returning to their normal way. The crew that kept the large ship operational began to chatter away with one another again, and Zeb and Sabine had quickly shaken off the residual shock after their near capture, easily falling back into normal routines after giving a brief summary of the mission to the Admiral, Ahsoka, Kanan and Hera.

Yet something was still off about Ezra.

It wasn't that he was acting nervous or afraid. No, he was acting far too _casual_. From the moment he and the others had returned from their catastrophic mission, he'd shrugged off any concern the others showed towards him, simply stating that he was fine, having followed Kanan's teachings. And while Kanan was of course proud of Ezra, he still worried. It just wasn't... _normal_. After having encountered two Inquisitors, the boy should've been shaken, after all they had barely managed to escape the dark Force-users. But instead, Ezra only gave a bland (if somewhat undetailed, though what could one really expect from an over-energetic teenager?) and then gone to get some rest.

And it worried Kanan.

Actually, not just Kanan, the others were worried too: Hera, Ahsoka, Zeb, Sabine, Rex, even _Chopper_.

Because they all knew how one usually acted after being captured, and Ezra just didn't fit the description.

It was two and a half weeks later, after some careful consideration, that Kanan and Ahsoka decided to confront the boy and find out just what exactly had happened.

Though in hind-sight, as Ezra tiredly stumbled into the small briefing room, they probably should've waited until morning.

Yawning widely, Ezra ran a hand through his dark raven locks, big blue eyes blinked up at the two older Jedi owlishly.

"Hey." The teen managed, stretching his arms outward with a groan. "What's up?"

While Kanan had the decency to look sheepish at having woken the boy, Ahsoka only gestured to the seat opposite of her and Kanan.

"Ezra, please sit."

The boy frowned slightly, shuffling forward and plopping down.

"Am I in trouble or something?" He asked warily. Kanan shook his head quickly.

"No, no you aren't." He replied. "This is about...the events from a couple weeks ago. With the Inquisitors."

If Ezra hadn't been awake before, he surely was now. The teen straightened slightly, frown deepening and brow furrowed.

"The Inquisitors? But Zeb and Sabine and I gave you our reports-"

"You did." Ahsoka agreed gently. "But we were looking over them and there's a missing gap of time: right after you were grabbed by one of the Inquisitors."

Ezra couldn't withhold a wince, and it didn't escape Kanan and Ahsoka's notice. Frowning, Kanan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Ezra?"

There was a split second of silence, then the teen shook his head, a fake expression of relaxation on his youthful face.

"I told you guys already, she tried to convince me to tell her where you guys were. Didn't work at all, but didn't stop her from talking." The boy scoffed slightly. "She was like a broken protocol droid: she just couldn't shut up."

"From what the Zeb and Sabine said, you were stuck with the Inquisitor, _alone_ , for a good two hours. And you're saying all she did was...Talk?"

The young Padawan hesitated, bright blue eyes flickering away momentarily before returning to the two Jedi.

"For awhile she just talked."

"'For awhile'?" Ahsoka repeated. Ezra nodded.

"Yeah. For about half-an-hour she just stared at me and talked- y'know, the usual stuff they walk about: 'come to the dark side, we have cookies!'" This earned a quizical look from Ahsoka while Kanan frowned to himself, mouthing 'cookies?'. Ezra smiled at his own private joke, but his face soon fell. "Then she tried to...Well..."

Kanan and Ahsoka patiently waited for the boy to gather his courage, their worry for the boy growing by the moment. Finally, Ezra sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stared at his boots.

"She tried mental torture. Y'know," He tapped his temple with a finger. "Tried to rip the information out of my head. When that didn't work, she resorted to trying mental torture to make me talk." At the shocked, horrified expressions on Ahsoka and Kanan's faces, he quickly added. "But she didn't get anything from me! I promise, she didn't! I remembered my training and I'd been working on my mental shields already, so I managed to keep her out of my thoughts!"

There was a long moment of silence...

Ezra yelped as he found Kanan suddenly by his side, the man taking a hold of his head in his large hands. The boy felt his mentor prod at his mind through the Force, and he obediently lowered his mental shields, letting the man examine his mind for himself. As this happened, Ahsoka had gotten to her feet and moved to one of the windows, staring out at the vast expanse of space beyond, her eyes intense. It was clear that the Togruta was furious that the Inquisitor had dared to try and rip apart the mind of a child.

After a few minutes, Kanan was satisfied that Ezra's mind was unscarred and whole and he let go of the boy's face, expression somewhat stunned for some odd reason. Ezra turned to Ahsoka.

"I'm okay, I really am." He assured. "Like I said, I held my own against her. As long as she didn't get anything from me, then everything's fine, right?"

Ahsoka's gaze snapped to the teen, who jumped when the woman abruptly turned to him.

"It's never 'fine' when a youngling is tortured, especially mentally."

Ezra rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, well, better me than Zeb or Sabine, right?"

Ahsoka frowned, but didn't reply. Kanan reached forward, touching Ezra's shoulder.

"Why, uh...Why don't you go get some more rest, we...We can talk more about this in the morning."

Ezra hesitated, but nodded all the same, standing.

"Okay." Moving to the door, he paused and looked back. "I'm...I'm sorry for not telling you guys sooner. I just didn't want to make you guys worry."

Kanan managed a strained smile, crossing his arms.

"Well, from now on don't do that, alright? Now go on. You deserve some rest."

With a shy smile, Ezra dipped his head in acknowledgement and left. The two remaining Jedi waited until the doors slid shut with a hiss.

"...His mind. Is it..?"

Kanan looked over to Ahsoka when she asked this. The woman was still looking at the door Ezra had departed through.

"Perfectly fine, and I mean _perfectly_. No mental scarring, no tampered memories...I knew he was working on building his mental walls, but his shields are...They're _insane_. If they were that strong back when this happened, he had to have been working on his mental strength for hours at a time, at _least_." A scowl curled at Kanan's lips. "Not that it makes the fact he was mentally tortured any better."

"No. It doesn't." Ahsoka agreed. A pause, then, "Still, the fact Ezra was able to resist the interrogation attempts of a seasoned Inquisitor...It's impressive."

Kanan nodded, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"Like I've said, Ezra is becoming more powerful with each passing day. I'm struggling to teach him quick enough, if his lessons fall behind by even a day, we risk him losing control over his abilities."

Ahsoka hummed in agreement, gaze turning to Kanan.

"I'm going to go speak with the Admiral. It's clear we need to avoid these Inquisitors at all costs. Go tend to your Padawan."

Kanan inclined his head, and the two parted ways.

After that night, both Kanan and Ahsoka kept a much better eye on Ezra.

* * *

 **Hello again! If you're reading this, thank you for taking the time to give the challengefic a look-see! I appreciate it!**

 **So, here is the challenge!**

 **A Star Wars Rebels fic (of whatever length you wish) where, during a mission gone wrong, Ezra taps into the dark side in front of one/both of the Inquisitors and/or Darth Vader. The fic MUST show the reaction of either the Seventh Sister, Fifth Brother or Vader (or two or all three of them). Also, the fic MUST emphasize that Ezra's connection to the Force is strong (it would be kinda boring if Ezra wasn't able to do something awesome I'd think XD). You may show the reactions of the crew or even Ahsoka, but it isn't required!**

 **So...yup! That's the challenge! If anyone has any questions or needs help coming up with and idea of what happens when Ezra taps into the dark side, then feel free to PM me! If you do end up doing this challenge fic, please let me know so I can read whatever awesomeness you write!**

 **Well, there it is! Until next time!**


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